Category Archives: AGENDA

WIM Association welcomes two new members #wine #campaign #moderation

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The Dutch Association of Wine Merchants (KVNW) joins WIM Association as effective member and is nominated as the WIM national coordinator in the Netherlands. At the same meeting, the French Federation of Aperitif Wines (FFVA) has also joined the WIM Association as Observer Member.

Both Associations have presented their respective Wine in Moderation to encourage moderation and responsibility and contribute in the reduction of alcohol-related harm.

Responsible for the coordination, accountability and growth of the Wine in ModerationProgramme, WIM Association now counts 15 Effective members and 3 Observers members. Structured Wine in Moderation Programmes are implemented by the national WIM coordinators in 9 countries around Europe and S. America, and actions are developed in more than 20 countries worldwide with the support of the WIM Ambassador Companies, European Associations and other Partners.

Already very much involved in the fight against alcohol-related harm through their participation in several initiatives, KVNW becomes the national coordinator of the WIM programme in The Netherlands and will be responsible for the planning, coordination, implementation and accountability of WIM in its country.

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While Vin et Société acts as National Coordinator in France, FFVA will be supporting and further taking action to encourage moderation and responsibility in France. With members such as Grandes Marques de Porto already well-experienced with the WIM programme, FFVA is looking to further spread the message of moderation and responsibility.

 

Patricia Fernández Ruiz.

 

The Launch of Champagne De Roval #champagne #Brussels

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Last week was presented in Brussels the new champagne of La Maison De Roval, which is associated with the French designer Ylan Anoufa and Wolfers, the Belgian jewelery house, to celebrate the birth of its champagne with style.

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La Maison De Roval has the vocation of elaborating exceptional quality champagnes in a range of special vintages.

The refinement and preciousness of Champagne De Roval are sublimated by an intriguing charm bottle which meets the deep and bright gold of the wine with the precious metal and sparkle bubbles with diamonds on his medallion from its label. This jewel made with passion is confined in a black bottle with gold and diamonds which is housed in a royal blue casket.

Each bottle is a unique piece of art manufactured by artisans at the peak of their art.

http://www.deroval.com/content/exceptional-champagne

Patricia Fernández Ruiz.

 

Vinitaly 2015, a model for wine promotion between business and product culture #business #vinitaly #wine #italy

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 «Today we can present a fundamental appointment for the Italian system since Vinitaly represents the entirety of Italy’s wine experience all over the world. Verona will provide an occasion to take stock of what has been done by the Government to simplify bureaucracy and promote the internationalisation of companies, as well as to launch new objectives going beyond Expo 2015, including the consolidated law on wine, with a focus on reorganization of the sector».
The press conference presenting the 49th Vinitaly (22-25 March 2015) held yesterday in Rome at the Auditorium Via Veneto so heard Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina re-launch the Government’s commitment to support Italian wine and the validity of the collaboration with Veronafiere to implement economic development policies and promote Made in Italy on international markets.
«We are aware of the role acknowledged to us by companies and institutions», – said Ettore Riello, President of Veronafiere, – «as a platform of services for business internationalisation. It is with this commitment that we are working to achieve the goal launched last year by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi during his visit to Vinitaly to increase wine exports by 50% by 2020».
«In keeping with the b2b identity of the exhibition,» explained Giovanni Mantovani, CEO & Director General of Veronafiere, «Vinitaly 2015 will bring to fruition the intense incoming activities we have created and enhanced with the important support of the Ministry for Economic Development and the Italian Trade Agency–ICE – as well as the Ministry of Agriculture. Joining forces in this way has enabled us to involve buyers and delegations of selected operators from around the world, with an increase of 34% in the financial investment compared to last year»
2014 was a difficult year for various international situations but the sentiment of companies is positive – as emerges from a Vinitaly survey involving 30 of Italy’s most important wine realities. This is a “scientifically unrepresentative” but undoubtedly significant panel in terms of business dynamism and overall turnover coming to approximately 2 billion euros. It appears that 2014 saw growth in revenue by Italian wine cellars of 5% compared to 2013 and, importantly, 55% expresses confidence for 2015; 35% in these first two months of the year has already achieved positive feedback and 5% envisage a very positive year. «We have learnt that it is difficult to make forecasts in times such as these and that numbers change quickly, especially in the light of sudden and unpredictable changes in international geo-political frameworks that can have direct effects on the sector, yet there is no doubt,» as Mantovani concluded, that the Italian wine sector is highlighting all its liveliness and capacity for growth».
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The 49th Vinitaly has been specifically designed to help producers and operators expand currently emerging opportunities and also create new ones. B2b meetings have been organised between buyers, guest delegations and exhibitors within the scope of the International Buyers Lounge. A major convention – requested by tutelage consortia, wine-makers and other realities in the sector – will analyse ITTP talks (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States). This will be joined by focus meetings discussing Hong Kong, China, USA, Russia, Brazil and Australia.
Confidence in the quality of initiatives at Vinitaly is confirmed by figures consolidating attendance by more than 4,000 exhibitors and display area bookings of more than 91,000 square metres – which leap to 100,000 with Sol&Agrifood and Enolitech, respectively the quality agro-food event (with the section dedicated to olive oil organised in collaboration with Unaprol) and the technical show for wine and olive oil production systems scheduled at the same time.
Major events during Vinitaly include OperaWine scheduled on 21 March in collaboration with the authoritative American magazine Wine Spectator and, 16-20 March in Verona, the first certification course for specialists in Italian wine. This is an innovative initiative set in motion by VIA-Vinitaly International Academy (the Vinitaly International educational project with the scientific direction of Ian D’Agata), which, after a final exam, will issue two types of certificate: Italian Wine Ambassador (IWA) and Italian Wine Expert (IWE). Fifty highly professional candidates from the sector (managers of several major international hotel chains, journalists, Masters of Wine) will take part from China, United States, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Korea, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, United Kingdom and Ukraine. VIA is also organising three Master Classes+ during Vinitaly, not only involving Italian wines. Collaboration with Ismea includes a convention on craft wines, another great wealth in Italian wine-making.
Vinitaly will also host the official presentation of Vino – A taste of Italy – the Wine Pavilion set up inside the Italy Pavilion at the Universal Exposition in Milan, organized by Veronafiere-Vinitaly on the invitation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Padiglione Italia and Expo 2015 SpA. «I am indeed extremely grateful for the work carried out by Veronafiere.» – said Minister Martina at the end of the Press Conference, – «as well as its efforts as the country prepares for Expo 2015».
Antonio Gala
 

 

CEJA WELCOMES PROGRESS MADE IN CAP REFORM

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After negotiations continued late into last night, the Irish Presidency said that it had agreed in principle to support a mandatory top-up of direct payments for young farmers in Pillar I of the new CAP 2014-2020.

 

SONY DSCAs Ministers meet in the Agriculture Council and discuss the latest proposal for a revised negotiating mandate, CEJA urges them to accept the new mandate so that it can be put to the European Parliament Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) tomorrow in order to achieve political agreement on a strong CAP for the future of European agriculture and to provide farmers with an end to uncertainty by the end of the Irish Presidency.

Young farmers have been a key part of this reform, and CEJA has been particularly vocal on the importance of a mandatory young farmer scheme in Pillar I of the new CAP – in order to stop distortions across the Union and therefore an unfair playing field for young people attempting to enter the sector. The European Commission has supported this from the beginning and included it as a mandatory scheme in its legislative proposals released in October 2011; this was reinforced in turn by the European Parliament after votes in COMAGRI and then plenary on the Parliamentary reports on the CAP proposals. CEJA now welcomes progress made in trilogues over the past two days, and calls on the Council to accept the Presidency’s revised negotiating mandate which includes a mandatory top-up of direct payments for young farmers.

Commenting on the developments, CEJA President Joris Baecke stated that: “We are pleased to hear that the Presidency believes Ministers are willing to shift on this point – we have said from the beginning that the demographic crisis in EU agriculture is simply too important to ignore. However, we are well aware that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’, but, considering the impressive progress made in the last few months, and even more so in the last few days, CEJA trusts that the institutions will find agreement by tomorrow therefore providing some foresight and longer term perspectives for farmers across Europe – especially for young farmers and young people considering entering the sector in the future.”

CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE: NEW PROJECT FOR SUSTAINABLE VITICULTURE

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The experiment consists of track-side semifixed implant for the distribution of plant protection products. Among the objectives is also to offer an alternative to the use of the helicopter.

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It is a prototype designed and built in the hills of Farra di Soligo that has involved the science department of the University of Padua, with the technical support of a consulting firm from Trentino region. It is an important experiment that confirms the continuing work of the consortium to promote a more sustainable viticulture that respects the environment and the health of the inhabitants.

The implant is part of a more detailed search focused largely on the reduction of drift by spraying with plant protection products.

The minimum distance between the source that sprays water and the leaf canopy contributes to a number of potential benefits. For example, the containment of the cloud of chemical mixture only in the boundaries of the vineyards. On one hand, the heroic viticulture on extreme grounds will be preserved. There, the slopes are also remarkable for mthe huge manual work required of wine growers, often elderly people. On the other hand, the system may offer in the future alternatives to the use of the helicopter.

 “ The research aims clearly also to achieve effective health care in operation by virtue of the ability to validate the system and maybe even extend to other wine areas of the DOCG which are extremely difficult in terms of manual effort and risk exposure.” explains Filippo Taglietti technical expert of the Consortium of Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

Henry Borzi

NEW FRONTIERS OF ITALIAN CUISINE AT “GUSTO IN SCENA”

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“Gusto in scena” the annual meeting of italian taste performed in the splendid frame of the Venice Lagoon will be held from 17th to 19th march.

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This year at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista in Venice, an architectural complex of incredible beauty founded in 1261, more than 20 internationally renowned chefs will attend the event. Thanks to the collaboration of the Fondazione Italia-Cina, the event will also examine strategies to open new paths to the Asian market and it will enhance the heroic viticulture.

Sugar will be a key issue of the 5th edition of Gusto in Scena. For the appointment of 2013, in fact, Marcello Coronini, journalist and critic of food and wine, launches a new original idea: “Cooking with … Cooking without … Sugar.” This will be really challenging for the big names of Italian cuisine attending the event.  The festival has further renewed its formula of three principal events in one and also side-happenings: the Congress of haute cuisine, Chefs in Concert, The Magnificent Wines, a big tasting with Italian and international wines, Gourmet Seductions, a series of culinary whims.

More information and updates on the official website: www.gustoinscena.it

Henry Borzi

EU High Level Group on wine: maintain the system of planting rights

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Last Friday 14th December was held the last meeting of the High Level Group on wine, created by the Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Cioloş to discuss the theme of planting rights.

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The representatives of the 27 Member States participated in the work and also industry experts and observers of the Council, the European Parliament. As expected, the Group has approved its conclusions on the theme of planting rights, including: a support for the idea of ​​maintaining the system of planting rights for all categories of wine (PDO, PGI and wines without geographical indication); it is necessary to put in place a mechanism for the regulation to be dynamic and to create favorable conditions for a balanced development of the sector; the Group proposes a system of “permits” for new installations of grapevine, applicable to all categories of wine. Authorizations should be free, non-transferable and valid for a maximum of three years.

The system should be managed by the Member States, taking into account the recommendations of the professional organizations representing the sector. The permit system should be accompanied by a safeguard mechanism at European level, which sets an annual rate of new plants, with the possibility for States to establish a lower value on the basis of objective criteria. When the sum of permit applications is less than the national thresholds, all authorizations should be granted. In the case of an excess of questions, the criteria for the award, should be established at European level and possibly supplemented by national criteria

The system should be applied for six years. There should also be transitional measures. The conclusions of the group, accompanied by a report will now be submitted to the Council and the European Parliament, engaged in the debate on the reform of the CAP.

Henry Borzi

Conegliano Valdobbiadene… the most beloved by italians

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Last  December  15th, on the occasion of the presentation of the Annual Report of the “Centro Studi  per il distretto Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore”,  -which crowns the Prosecco sparkling wine as the most beloved by Italians – , some of the leading international wine production techniques were compared on making viticulture in harmony with the environment.

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Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore  is the sparkling wine DOCG which is the most beloved by Italians. This can be seen by the high consumption, even last year. On the occasion of the event,  Prosecco producers met with colleagues from the Champagne and was also compared with the entire national wine production and the most interesting examples beyond.
The meeting was focused on environmental sustainability, certainly a topic of great relevance for the entire winemaking industry. Innocente Nardi president of the Consortium argued:  “Once again, the study confirms the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG sparkling wine is the most loved by Italians . Despite the favorable market, we are aware that there is still much to do. The challenges for the future and among these, the commitment to an increasingly environmentally sustainable viticulture, are the first imperative. With this meeting we want to create a dialogue with other international wine in order to compare projects and results “.
During the meeting, new experimental projects carried out by the Consortium were anticipated. They are dedicated to reducing the environmental impact. An interesting investigation carried out by the Centro Studi was presented. Vasco Boatto, project manager, explained in fact the results of research carried out between companies of the denomination.

Dominique Moncomble, Director of Technical Services of the Interprofessional Committee of Champagne Wine presented instead the commitment in this direction by the world’s most famous sparkling wine producers.

Eugenio Pomarici, professor at the  Federico II University of Naples , explained the world’s most interesting examples, from California to New Zealand via South Africa.

Francesco Iacono finally brought the experience as head of one of the most interesting Italian wine, Arcipelago Muratori, describing significant initiatives at national level in the field of sustainability: Tergeo, promoted by the Italian Wine Union. Thanks to these important testimonies, the meeting was one of the most qualified and dedicated to the theme of organized winemaking throughout the country.

Henry Borzi

2012 Spirits summit: Spirit of growth.

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“A spirit of tradition, growth and responsibility”, the last 29th November spiritsEUROPE the European association representing the 31 national associations and the interest of the spirits sector held hits annual summit.

The European spirits sector is good for Europe. Approximately 1 million jobs in Europe can be attributed to the production and sale of spirit drinks and the sector contributes €32 billion to European exchequers, and export more than any other agri-food product. There are significant spin-offs for the agricultural sector,  the bottling and packaging industry , the tourism hospitality sectors, media and marketing. The sector is deeply rooted in Europe, many of the products derive their market success from the fact that the products come from specific, named European regions. One thing is quite sure. It is not a sector that will ‘delocalise’ its production or jobs out of Europe. Like others, the spirits industry currently faces challenging economic conditions in Europe, with consumer demand depressed by the crisis and austerity measures imposed, and member States under increasing pressure to raise revenues through higher taxation.

EU largest exporter of spirits

EU is the largest exporter of spirits in the world with €8.5 billion of spirit drinks, leading to a positive trade balance of over €7 billion. 2011 was an exceptional year. The well-being of the sector, and the wealth it generates in Europe, are dependent on open trade with key markets around the world.

Total EU spirits exports hit records of €8.5 billion. While the US remains our largest export market by far (over €2 billion), the growth of the sector depends on the economic vitality of emerging markets, driving an ever-increasing demand for quality branded.

Social responsabilities

While the vast majority of the European population drinks sensibly and moderately, a minority does not, causing harm to themselves, their families and society at large. spiritsEUROPE take his responsibilities seriously. The European association works with a range of stakeholders to address these problems taking in account actions to target harm and actively promote responsible marketing by his industry, and responsible drinking.

The consumption of beverages containing alcohol is culturally very different across Member States. The same is true for drinking patterns, and subsequently for alcohol-related harm. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all solution’ to tackle alcohol related harm in Europe. Nearly all Nordic countries have been applying high taxes, retail monopolies and strict marketing restrictions for many years, compared to other European countries.

EU strategy

Yet, according to “Alcohol in the European Union”, a 2012 joint study from EU/WHO Europe, that region shows a hazardous drinking score more than double that of southern Europe where less restrictive policies are prevalent. Given that these restrictive approaches have been in place for decades, it calls into question the correlation between the use of population-based control measures and changes in hazardous consumption. In 2006, the Commission adopted a “Strategy to support Member States in reducing alcohol-related harm”. Indicators show that the spirit sector is on the right track and strongly supports the extension of the strategy, effective in tackling alcohol misuse, building on voluntary actions and self-regulation.

During the event we had the nice opportunity to interview with Gavin Hewitt President of spiritsEUROPE.

Henry Borzi

BEER, FOR THE SPORT !

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Beer Serves Europe, the annual event of the European association of the brewing sector: “Brewers of Europe“, this year brought together  the highest level personalities from the worlds of politics, sports, media, cuisine and brewing. All with the aim this year of zooming in on one of the key areas in which beer is serving Europe – support to grassroots and professional sports.

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The ‘Beer Serves Europe’ event took place in Brussels last November as EU leaders across the city discussed how to stimulate growth while slashing public finances. Meanwhile, preparations were underway for the EU’s ‘4th Open Forum on Alcohol and Health’ the next day to discuss how to address alcohol related harm, educate young people and ensure responsible marketing.

Sport is crucial to the well-being of European society stated Michal Krejza the Head of the European Commission’s Sport Unit, in the panel discussion, highlighting the essential role the private sector plays in funding sports.

“Sports are a driver for the economy, jobs and social interaction from grassroots to the professional level, and sponsorships are an important source of revenue that play a major role in the development of sport,” Dr.Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, CEO of the European Professional Football Leagues, said in his keynote.

“If the Eurozone crisis is to be resolved and vital sectors, such as sport and brewing, are to remain competitive and economically viable, then we need to be able to operate in a sustainable business environment. Any move to further limit beer sponsorship is therefore a step in the wrong direction.”

Europe’s brewers, who support some 2 million jobs across the EU, spend 1 billion Euros annually on sponsorships and supporting their communities. 62 percent of this amount goes to community-based events, covering operating costs of sports organisations at a time of government austerity. This compares with only 11.9 percent for major sports events.

“Beer sponsorships provide a lifeline for community events including sports activities, many of which would simply not happen without the support of local brewers and pubs,” said panellist Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, Vice President of the Sport and Recreation Alliance and author of ‘Developing Partnerships in Sport and Leisure’.

Alberto da Ponte, The Brewers’ President closed the event stating: “It’s easy to overlook the European brewing sector’s positive social, cultural and economic impact. We as brewers wish to remain strong supporters of local communities, a fundamental part of Europe’s social fabric and a leader in promoting responsible drinking.” VINEYARDS PAPER also interviewed Sven GATZ, head the belgian brewers association.

Henry Borzi

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